The public holds high expectations for the newly elected Legislative Council (LegCo). First, the election itself was highly engaged, with every LegCo seat contested. The higher voter turnout indicates that the current LegCo team has a stronger public mandate to carry out its work over the next four years. The election of the LegCo president also saw fierce yet healthy competition, in which veteran lawmaker Starry Lee Wai-king narrowly defeated her competitor in a tight race. This enriches the practice of high-quality democracy in action locally under the auspices of “patriots administering Hong Kong”, and reflects the superiority of the new electoral system, as noted in a statement by the State Council’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office.

In an article posted under the name Gang Aoping on the office’s social media account, the author expressed full confidence that the new-term LegCo president will lead the council in implementing the executive-led system, actively support the chief executive and the executive branch of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government in law-based governance, and jointly usher in a new era of good governance — presenting a fresh image for the new-term LegCo.

This fresh image will largely depend on whether the new LegCo members make a positive impression on the public in their first 100 days in office.

The most pressing issue for the new LegCo is to address the aftermath of the Wang Fuk Court blaze in which 168 people died last November. LegCo discussed the issue during its first meeting on Jan 14. The public will continue to closely watch how members can effectively address residents’ concerns and assist the government in developing a sound solution that satisfies all stakeholders.

The government should be praised for its immediate follow-up actions, including providing temporary settlements for residents, offering sufficient financial subsidies through a charity fund, and implementing a “one family, one social assistant” program. The government has decided to conduct a questionnaire exercise with all residents to seek their views through social wealth assistants — a task that LegCo members should also pay attention to.

A fair valuation could follow the Urban Renewal Authority’s (URA) established formula — pegging compensation to the price of a seven-year-old notional replacement flat in Tai Po. This would allow residents to secure a property of a similar size in the same locality, which reflects the prevailing preference among most affected households

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu pledged that the government would devote itself to helping affected families rebuild their lives.

As noted by Lai Tung-kwok, former secretary for security and vice-chairman of the New People’s Party, the optimal way forward is for the government to repurchase the affected properties, allowing residents to relocate without delay. Crucially, however, the buyback price must be reasonable enough to enable households to acquire a comparable flat within the Tai Po district and maintain their current way of life. To achieve this, the government may need to supplement the charitable relief fund with public resources.

Some have criticized the use of public funds to compensate affected households. But this view overlooks the significant public benefit that would result: The government would regain a prime waterfront site at Tolo Harbour. A fair valuation could follow the Urban Renewal Authority’s (URA) established formula — pegging compensation to the price of a seven-year-old notional replacement flat in Tai Po. This would allow residents to secure a property of a similar size in the same locality, which reflects the prevailing preference among most affected households. A relevant precedent is the recent URA redevelopment project in the Flower Market area of Mong Kok, where eligible domestic owners were offered HK$15,377 ($1,972) per square foot of saleable area — precisely aligned with the unit rate of a seven-year-old replacement flat in the same locality. In addition, eligible domestic owners of the project will be offered a purchase right of a “flat-for-flat” unit in the future development to be constructed on the project site as an option to cash compensation. A similar approach should be applicable to Wang Fuk Court’s residents.

Regarding public consultation, the current method — relying on social welfare assistants to convey residents’ views through questionnaires — raises concerns about accuracy and impartiality, as it depends entirely on how faithfully those assistants relay individual opinions, and any opinions of residents outside the questionnaire’s scope are likely to be ignored. The government should instead adopt established best practices, such as organizing direct consultation meetings to enable face-to-face dialogue and better understand residents’ concerns. It is important that the government demonstrates its sincerity and willingness to hear victims’ views. Alternatively, LegCo could convene a special public hearing, giving affected residents a platform to express their views formally and compiling their input for official consideration.

The third issue is that the government questionnaire seems to overlook the unaffected building, Wang Chi House, which has 200 flats. These residents have not been consulted on whether they wish to return to their building, which is unaffected by the fire and remains safe to inhabit. Their property rights are protected under the Basic Law, and their desire to return to reside in their own flats should be respected. Will any LegCo member speak up for this minority?

In his speech, the chief executive said he hopes that the new LegCo will support his administration in doing what is right, while also welcoming reasoned objections and alternative proposals. LegCo should be more proactive in this regard.

Moving forward, it is proposed that the new LegCo establish a dedicated working committee to coordinate with the government on all follow-up measures related to this tragedy. LegCo should also recommend that government officials appear before it to provide regular progress reports, ensure full transparency in all relevant processes, and allow public attendance at its meetings.

This issue serves as a test case for the new LegCo’s wisdom and determination to collaborate effectively with the executive branch in addressing a major challenge confronting Hong Kong.

The author is an honorary fellow of HKU Space and Hong Kong Metropolitan University. He is an adviser with Our Hong Kong Foundation and a council member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.